The Turtle Beach Atlas 200 is a wired gaming headset. Available for $69.99 / £59.99 for the PC version and $59.99 / £49.99 for the PS5 and multiplatform versions, it sits firmly at the affordable end of the market. But don’t let the cheap price fool you: this is a surprisingly capable headset.
I’ll admit that the multiplatform version I tested here is not the most feature-packed headset I’ve ever gotten my hands on. While its 3.5mm jack means you’ll enjoy lossless audio, it can’t offer the hi-res audio its PC-focused stablemate can. Nor does it offer selectable sound profiles, EQ settings, or driver software. It’s an uncomplicated product, in every sense of the word.
When I stuck it on my head, though, any concerns I had about its feature set melted away. That’s because the sound it’s capable of happily rivals any of the best wired gaming headsets at this price range. Trying it out with Hades II, I was impressed with how clear it was, capturing the swish and slash of combat perfectly. Meanwhile, the crack of my rifle while taking out opponents on Counter-Strike 2 felt deeply convincing with plenty of low-end heft.
The Atlas 200’s soundstage also feels well apportioned – the stereo field feels nice and broad, while the separation of different sounds helps sound effects stand clear from atmospheric noise and background music. The only real criticism I have here is around the headset’s claimed spatial audio: while its audio definitely feels immersive, there isn’t quite the same height and rear-firing effects you’ll get from true Dolby Atmos style headphones. However, I imagine the immersive PC Audio enhancements offered by the PC version’s USB Audio Adapter go some way toward rectifying this.
And the Atlas 200’s foldaway mic offers yet more pluses to help compensate for this. Not only is it easy to flip away, but during my testing, this automatically muted any sound reaching our testing laptop. The mic is also crystal clear – thanks to its effective noise gate, I found that clacking keys and even the music I was listening to was very thoroughly quashed, making it far easier for those you’re gaming with to hear your every oath and utterance.
This is only the start of Turtle Beach’s smart design with this headset. Its plush memory foam ear cups and floating headband make it super comfortable to wear, even over longer periods. I often find the clamping force of many cheaper headphones makes my ears ache after not too long, but the Atlas 200 didn’t crush my cartilage.
There is one small misstep for me, though. Given that the headset’s height is adjusted by moving a velcroed strap on the inside of the headband, it’s impossible to adjust its height on the fly. This isn’t helped by the fact that the Atlas 200 seems to be designed with the larger head in mind – while my swollen dome happily fit it on every setting, colleagues of mine with more diminutive noggins did find the earcups sat quite low on even the tightest setting.
Despite this, though, it’s hard for me to argue that the Turtle Beach Atlas 200 is anything but an accomplished budget gaming headset. It sounds very credible for the price, and it’s all kinds of comfortable – at least if you have a capacious cranium. Fundamentally, if you’re looking to only spend around $50 / £50 on a gaming headset, I’d happily urge you to snap it up.
(Image credit: Future)Turtle Beach Atlas 200 review: price & availabilityReleased on September 12, 2025, the Turtle Beach Atlas 200 is available now. The price you’ll pay is based on which platform you’re buying for: the PC version has a list price of $69.99 / £59.99, while the PS5 and multiplatform versions both have a list price of $59.99 / £49.99. Each version has slightly different specs, so bear in mind everything I’ve said in this review pertains to the multiplatform version.
In terms of additional options, the Atlas 200 PC and multiplatform versions only come in black. However, the PlayStation 5 offers black or white colorways – naturally, the latter is an excellent choice if you’re keen for your console to match your headset.
Turtle Beach Atlas 200 review: specsPrice
$59.99 / £49.99
Weight
9.9oz / 280g
Compatibility
Any device with a 3.5mm jack
Connection type
Wired (3.5mm)
Battery life
N/A
Features
Flip-to-mute mic with noise reduction
Software
N/A
(Image credit: Future)Turtle Beach Atlas 200 review: design and featuresSlipping on the Turtle Beach Atlas 200 for the first time, I was pretty impressed with its build quality. Despite being pretty affordable as gaming headsets go, they’re comfortably, even luxuriously, made. A featherlight 9.9oz / 280g build, floating headband, and memory foam ear cushions meant that they were comfortable even during epic gaming sessions – I often find cheaper headphones can make my ear cartilage ache after an hour or so, but these never outstayed their welcome.
Turtle Beach also claims that their ProSpecs technology means they offer ‘glasses-friendly’ comfort. Despite not being a specs-wearer myself, I asked my colleague Nikita Achanta from Tom’s Guide’s reviews team to give them a go, and she found them perfectly comfortable even with glasses.
One element of their design I find less persuasive, though, is how you adjust the height of that floating headband. As you need to unstick, adjust, then restick the velcro straps on the headset’s inside, it’s basically impossible to change their height while you’re wearing them, meaning I often had to use trial and error to get the right setting.
The headset’s height range is also not great – you can adjust its height by an inch / 2.5cm, max. Exercising some radical self-awareness here, I have a pretty big head, yet the Atlas 200’s entire height span seems to fit me pretty comfortably. This made me suspect that if you’ve got a smaller nut than I, you may struggle to find a cosy fit. And, indeed, when I asked Cesci Angell, my littler-noodled colleague, how she found them, she remarked they did sit a little low for her liking.
(Image credit: Future)Fortunately, Turtle Beach doesn’t make this mistake elsewhere. The Atlas 200’s foldaway mic, for example, is simple to adjust, clicking firmly into place in three positions – up, out, and halfway between – with a satisfying clonk. It’s also poseable, making it easier to curve it to sit in the perfect position in front of your mouth when it is in use.
When it comes to features, the Turtle Beach Atlas 200 is uncomplicated to the point of being almost no-frills. Its chunky 50mm Nanoclear drivers offer an expansive frequency range of 20Hz - 20kHz and are optimized for spatial audio. Meanwhile, it offers no wireless connectivity, although its wired 3.5mm cable means you can enjoy lossless quality audio and can hook it up to any gaming device.
But that’s largely your lot: unlike its platform-exclusive PC version, the multiplatform version doesn’t offer high-fidelity audio, sound profiles, or driver software for tweaking settings. And on-device controls are limited to a single volume dial, which does at least offer granular control over the loudness of your game audio.
But no matter how comfortably a headset is designed or how fully featured it is, that’s all irrelevant if it doesn’t have the aural grit to back it up. So does the Turtle Beach Atlas 200 deliver the goods?
At first, I wasn’t entirely sure. Firing up Hades II, I was impressed with how the wind noises surrounding me were crisp and immediate without being overly bright. Meanwhile, the mids were deftly handled, rendering the background music competently while allowing the slashes and impact of combat to cut through. But there was one element I was unsure of: bass, with it sounding decent but not necessarily booming like that of the Corsair HS55 Stereo.
That is, until I dived into Counter-Strike 2. Not only was the whizzing of the bullets rendered by the treble, but the heft of the low end ensured the combat I was plunged into felt sufficiently visceral. Every time I popped off a headshot, the boom of the sniper rifle in my hands made it feel every bit the instrument of death it should be.
Stereo separation is also impressive on the Atlas 200. During the opening titles of Clair Obscure: Expedition 33, I felt like I was submerged right in the middle of the soundtrack, with the piano sitting slightly to the left, beautifully textured strings to my right, and the vocals right down the middle. Once I’d gotten into the game, this persisted, with the cranking of mills around me in the opening moments perfectly positioned in the space.
(Image credit: Future)Possibly the only thing I’d question about the Atlas 200’s performance is its ‘optimized for 3D audio’ claims. Yes, elements are well separated, but I’ve plenty of experience testing some of the best headphones for spatial audio, and I did not get the same sense of height or rear-firing audio that you can get from the Epos H3 wired headset, for example. Triangulating would-be assassins in Counter-Strike 2 often took a good half a second of wheeling around, so I would moderate your expectations of how immersive this headset actually is.
Fortunately, that foldaway mic did not disappoint. I tested it out by recording audio while playing some games, and it works perfectly, cutting out all registered noise the second I folded it away, making it great when you need moments of privacy. On top of that, its noise gate works well in minimizing background sounds – even while typing, I couldn’t really discern any of the clack of the keys in my recording.
Keen as ever to try to push things to breaking point, I even tried cranking out some drum & bass while testing, but the Turtle Beach was wise to my tricks. There was naturally a little pump of some trebly beats in the background that coincided with the syllables I spoke, but the gate kept things deathly silent in between, doing an impressive job of maintaining the clarity of my words.
All in all, I was seriously impressed with how the Turtle Beach Atlas 200 performed. Yes, it makes a few promises its specs can’t cash – I’m not totally swayed by its 3D sound credentials, for example – but it also offers excellent comfort and really rather decent sound.
And that’s before you even consider its cost. With a price of $59.99 / £49.99, this wired gaming set is very much at the affordable end of the market, and yet it never feels cheap – to the contrary, what it can do is actually pretty impressive for the price. If sound performance is your big priority in a budget headset, the Atlas 200 should make you very happy indeed.
Attributes
Notes
Rating
Design & features
Although it packs a limited feature set, the Atlas 200 gets high marks for its comfy, well-built design.
4 / 5
Performance
Aside from average 3D performance, the Atlas 200 sounds impressive and has a great quality mic.
4 / 5
Value
Once you view these strengths through the lens of the Atlas 200's price, it's pretty clear: this is a fantastic value headset.
5 / 5
Buy it if…You want awesome audio for a great-value price
For a headset that costs a mere $59.99 / £49.99, the Atlas 200 offers great audio, with accurate treble, expressive mids, and colossal bass.
You want excellent comfort
If this headset is comfy even on my fussy ears, that should mean you’ll find them soft and forgiving enough to wear for even longer gaming sessions.
You’ve got a small head
With the Atlas 200’s quite large height only being adjustable by about an inch, it doesn’t leave a lot of wiggle room for those who have smaller heads.
You want loads of features
The Turtle Beach Atlas 200 doesn’t have all that many extra capabilities. If you’re looking for sound profiles, true 3D audio, wireless connectivity, or customizable settings, you’re better off looking elsewhere.
Turtle Beach Atlas 200
Corsair HS55 Stereo
Epos H3
Price
$59.99 / £49.99
$59.99 / £49.99
$55 / £57.82 / AU$104.31
Weight
9.9oz / 280g
9.6oz / 284g
9.5oz / 270g
Compatibility
PC, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5, Playstation 4, Nintendo Switch 2, Steam Deck
PC, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5, Playstation 4, Nintendo Switch 2, Steam Deck
PC, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5, Playstation 4, Nintendo Switch 2, Steam Deck
Connection type
Wired (3.5mm)
Wired (3.5mm)
Wired (3.5mm)
Features
Flip-to-mute mic with noise reduction
Flip-to-mute mic
Flip-to-mute mic
Software
N/A
N/A
N/A
Corsair HS55 Stereo
Another budget banger, this wired gaming headset has a list price of $59.98 / £49.99 but also offers excellent sound and superb comfort. The only criticism we did find however, is that its low-end can occasionally overplay its hand, so it might be one for pure bass-heads only.
Read our full Corsair HS55 Stereo review.
Epos H3
Slightly pricier than the Atlas 200 but also slightly nice-ier, the Epos H3 is our top pick for the best wired gaming headset for a reason. It sounds fantastic for a headset that costs under $100 / £100 and is super comfortable to boot. However, its 3.5mm cable is proprietary and hard to replace, so if you’re prone to losing things, you might wanna give this one a miss.
For more information, read our full Epos H3 review.
How I tested the Turtle Beach Atlas 200I tested the Turtle Beach Atlas 200 over the course of several days. First, I used it while playing multiple games on several different platforms, including on PC and Steam Deck. I played Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 to test out its capabilities with soundtracks, Hades II for general effects, and Counter-Strike 2 to try out its surround sound capabilities.
I also tested the foldaway mic by recording myself while gaming. Not only did I test out its general audio quality, but I also tried out its flip-to-mute functionality and assessed how well it filtered out background noise by typing and playing music.
In terms of my expertise, I've been reviewing audio gadgets for over five years and have gotten hands-on with dozens of cutting-edge headphones. I've also been a committed gamer for 35 years, first cutting my teeth on Super Mario Bros. and Alex Kidd in the halcyon days of 8-bit gaming. Now I regularly game on PC, Steam Deck, PlayStation 4 Slim, and Nintendo Switch 2.
The Israel Defense Forces said Sunday it responded after "terrorists" attacked troops operating in the Rafah area with gunfire and an anti-tank missile. Hamas said it was unaware of the clashes.
(Image credit: Abdel Kareem Hana)
The Honor Magic V5 is a truly impressive folding phone. It’s the thinnest booklet-style folding phone ever, with two excellent displays, a design that expertly balances ergonomics and aesthetics, and fantastic battery life. Its rear camera system stands up to some of the best folding phones, while its internal hardware is as powerful as you’d expect from a device marketed on its multitasking capabilities.
The first thing you notice about the Honor Magic V5 is just how thin it is. At just 4.1mm thick (not including the sizeable camera bump), the Magic V5 is thinner than the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7, Google Pixel 10 Pro, and even the region-locked Oppo Find N5, only beaten by the tri-folding Huawei Mate XT (another China exclusive). It’s so thin that it’s made me ask whether folding phones should keep getting thinner – its 7.95-inch inner screen really does disappear into your hand thanks to that ultra-thin frame.
Speaking of displays, the Magic V5 sports two excellent panels. Its 6.43-inch cover screen strikes a nice balance between compact and useable, and its 20:9 aspect ratio isn’t far off that of the iPhone 17 or Samsung Galaxy S25. The inner display measures 7.95-inches, with an approximate aspect ratio of 18:19.5.
That almost-square display is one of the best I’ve used on a folding phone, and makes reading articles, watching videos, taking photos a real joy. I also can’t get over just how similar the viewing experience is between the two displays – that’s a hard thing to nail given the change in material between the glass cover screen and plastic inner display, but Honor has done an excellent job.
The winning streak continues when it comes to the Magic V5’s battery, which is huge not only for a folding phone, but for a smartphone in general. With incredible engineering and straight-up alchemy, Honor has fit a 5920mAh battery into this phone – that’s larger than the battery in any comparable folding phone, and it's even bigger than the battery in the current-gen iPad mini. Charging is fast, battery life is long.
The Honor Magic V5 is the strongest contender to the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7. The Magic V5 outclasses Samsung’s latest booklet foldable in so many ways, and where Samsung does take the lead it isn’t by much. At £1,699 the Magic V5 decisively undercuts the Z Fold 7, which starts at £1,899 – though like all other Honor phones, the Magic V5 is unfortunately unavailable in the US. That limited availability will keep it off of our lists of the best phones and best folding phones, but if you’re looking for a folding phone in the UK or Europe, the Honor Magic V5 should be a serious contender.
Honor Magic V5: Price and Specs (Image credit: Jamie Richards / Future)Like all Honor phones, whether you can get the Honor Magic V5 depends on where you live. It’s not available in the US, but can be bought online or through carriers in the UK, Europe, and other regions.
In the UK, the Honor Magic V5 costs £1699.99 for the model with 512GB of storage – there are no other configurations to choose from. Honor is bundling a 66W power adapter and Magic Pen stylus in the UK – though as there is no stylus in the box, I'm not going to cover the accessory in this review.
Let’s address the elephant in the room – £1,699.99 is a lot of money for a phone. However, the Honor Magic V5 does manage to undercut its rivals quite significantly. The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 starts at £1,899.99, while the Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold starts at £1,799.99 – and both come with 256GB of storage, half of what the Honor Magic V5 offers.
And when you consider the Honor Magic V5’s impressive hardware specs, class-leading thinness and design, and impressive camera system, the value for money becomes even more apparent.
As for colors, the Magic V5 comes in Black, Ivory White (an online-exclusive option) and Dawn Gold, which has an eye-catching ripple effect on the rear panel. The specs below are for the Ivory White model I tested; the other two colors are actually a little thicker, at 4.2mm unfolded and 9mm folded, and are slightly heavier at 222g.
Honor Magic V5 specsHonor Magic V5
Dimensions (folded):
156.8 x 74.3 x 8.8 mm
Dimensions (unfolded):
156.8 x 145.9 x 4.1 mm
Weight:
217g
Main display:
7.95-inch LTPO AMOLED
2172 x 2352, 120Hz, 403ppi
Cover display::
6.43-inch LTPO OLED
2520 x 1080, 20:9, 120Hz, 404ppi
Chipset:
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite
RAM:
16GB
Storage:
512GB
OS:
Android 15 / MagicOS 9
Primary camera:
50MP, f1.6, 23mm
Ultrawide camera:
50MP, f/2.0, 13mm
Telephoto
64MP, f/2.5, 70mm (3x)
Cover Camera:
20MP f2.2
Inner Camera:
20MP f2.2
Battery:
5,820mAh
Charging:
66W wired, 50W wireless
Colors:
Ivory White, Black, Dawn Gold
The Honor Magic V5 is the best-looking phone I’ve ever reviewed. This is a truly gorgeous piece of technology, and it’s clear that maximal attention has been given to achieving as much symmetry and ergonomic balance as the folding phone form factor will allow. The Ivory White color model is also the world’s thinnest folding phone at just 4.1mm thick when opened (not counting the substantial camera module). It’s a technical wonder that has me asking whether folding phones actually need to get any thinner.
Besides thinness, I noticed that the Magic V5 goes further than its contemporaries in providing a more comfortable experience. In the past, I’ve used folding phones with sharp edges and awkward bumps that make them uncomfortable to use for long sessions. On the Magic V5, Honor has flattened and rounded all the corners around the hinge, as well as the edges of the hinge itself – the Galaxy Z Fold 7 is almost as svelte, but has much sharper edges. The outer corners of the phone are also rounded off, which makes the unit very comfortable for one-handed or unfolded use.
Functionally, that hinge works well. It feels light to open, but not loose – it takes no real effort to open but won’t wobble much when partially unfolded.
Check out those rounded corners - this is the first foldable I've used that feels actually comfortable. (Image credit: Jamie Richards / Future)As for construction, the Honor Magic V5 is composed of an aluminum chassis and a woven fiber rear panel that feels as solid as glass or ceramic materials used in other phones. The cover display is glass and the inner display is plastic, with raised plastic bezels housing the magnets that keep the phone snapped shut. Moreso than any other folding phone I’ve used the Honor Magic V5 lays totally flat when opened – and the crease on the inner display is so minimal that I had to remind myself to look for it when I set the phone up for the first time.
The camera housing is also superbly designed, and perfectly walks the line between subtlety and flair with its all-black coloring, textured metal ring, and octagonal bracketing. The phone also sports dual IP58 and IP59 dust and water resistance ratings – better than the Galaxy Z Fold 7 but not quite dust-sealed as the IP68-rated Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold. Fresh water shouldn’t be an issue, but keep it well away from fine dust, gravel, and sand.
The Honor Magic V5 is a wonder of engineering and the most comfortable folding phone I’ve ever used. I’m a large guy with a pretty big handspan, so I sometimes found it a bit difficult to get enough purchase on the phone to get it open, but I’m sure this experience varies.
However... after my test period for this review had concluded and about two months of use in total, I noticed that the inner screen protector had begun to separate from the folding display. That's not the type of thing we want to see from any folding phone, especially after such a short period of use. For now, we can't say whether this is a design flaw or just a one-off issue: we've contacted Honor directly to ask for comment and another test unit.
The displays on the Honor Magic V5 are wonderful. The 6.43-inch cover display is amongst the sharpest and most vibrant screens I’ve used, and the 7.95-inch inner display is bright and immersive – what’s more, the viewing experience feels very consistent when switching between the two displays, something other folding phones have struggled to achieve.
In fact, when I unfolded the phone for the first time, I had to remind myself to look for a crease in the inner screen. It’s a far cry from the view-warping creases of folding phones from even a few years ago – I also noticed that, unlike some folding phones, the Magic V5 unfolds nearly perfectly flat, which makes it even easier to get lost in the expansive inner display.
In terms of technical specs, the Honor Magic V5’s cover display sports a resolution of 1060 x 2376 pixels, with 404 pixels per inch, while the inner display has a resolution of 2172 x 2352 pixels at 403 pixels per inch. What’s more, both panels top out at an absolutely ludicrous 5000 nits of brightness. Of course, those are theoretical limits, and your actual experience won't reflect those potentially harmful levels.
Compared to the Galaxy Z Fold 7, the Magic V5 offers a sharper, higher resolution inner display, but can’t quite match the resolution and pixel density of the Galaxy’s cover screen.
Of all the folding devices I’ve used, the Magic V5 feels the most frictionless when switching between the two displays. Naturally, the glass cover display is a tiny bit sharper and looks a touch clearer, but Honor has calibrated these panels such that there’s little noticeable difference in color, brightness, or detail.
If there is an issue with the Honor Magic V5’s 7.95-inch folding display, it’s the issue common to all folding phones – that being that its larger screen space isn’t always efficiently used. Videos with a typical 16:9 aspect ratio can’t fill out the almost-square panel, and games often struggle to find a suitable safe zone (particularly first person games like Call of Duty). The inner screen is wonderful to look at, and perfect for reading, scrolling, and video calls, but a proper tablet might be better for streaming the best new shows.
Folding phones have, until this year, had slightly weaker camera systems than their slab-phone counterparts – but times are changing. The Galaxy Z Fold 7 launched with a 200MP main lens, resetting expectations for the types of pictures that folding phones can produce.
The Honor Magic V5 sports three great rear cameras that come very close to producing flagship-standard images. Across a variety of shooting conditions I was able to take great photos with the Magic V5 – I was particularly impressed by how much detail the sensors captured; even noisy scenes with lots of foliage were reproduced with good definition, even if the contrast sometimes left me wanting. The image stabilization is also great all the way out to the maximum 100x digital zoom.
However, I found the post-processing could be fairly aggressive, and was often unsure of how much AI had impacted the final image, especially at long zoom ranges. That’s something to keep in mind if you prefer your photos to be a true reflection of the camera’s abilities, as there’s no way to fully disable the image processing pipeline.
The Magic V5 sports a triple-camera array housed on its rear panel, composed of a 50MP main camera, 50MP ultra-wide camera, and 64MP 3x telephoto camera. This gives the phone a lot of range and flexibility for still photography – the telephoto camera in particular strikes a nice balance between reach and usability for portraits and tighter landscape shots. Photos from all three cameras are bright and vibrant without looking unrealistically colorful, though there are some more vibrant profiles to choose from.
Taking photos with the inner screen's huge viewfinder is a real joy. (Image credit: Jamie Richards / Future)Taking photos with the inner display is really intuitive – that 8-inch panel makes for a great viewfinder, and the unfolded frame allows the phone to rest steadily in-hand. However, I found the default camera app a little bit clunky, with some quick options (most notably aspect ratio) hidden behind an in-app menu.
The Magic V5 supports video shooting at 720p, 1080p, and 4K resolutions at either 30fps or 60fps. That large display is a boost for shooting video too, with plenty of blank space around the 16:9 frame to place your thumbs (though, for some reason, some controls are still placed over the viewfinder).
One of the only true let-downs on the Magic V5 is its pair of selfie cameras. The inner and outer displays house identical punch-hole 10MP selfie cameras that prove lacking in almost every situation. This is allayed by the rear camera selfie feature, which uses the cover display as a viewfinder, but that won’t always be the most convenient option.
Honor Magic V5: Camera samplesImage 1 of 10(Image credit: Jamie Richards / Future)Image 2 of 10(Image credit: Jamie Richards / Future)Image 3 of 10(Image credit: Jamie Richards / Future)Image 4 of 10(Image credit: Jamie Richards / Future)Image 5 of 10(Image credit: Jamie Richards / Future)Image 6 of 10(Image credit: Jamie Richards / Future)Image 7 of 10(Image credit: Jamie Richards / Future)Image 8 of 10(Image credit: Jamie Richards / Future)Image 9 of 10(Image credit: Jamie Richards / Future)Image 10 of 10(Image credit: Jamie Richards / Future)Like other Honor phones, the Magic V5 runs MagicOS 9, an Android iteration based on Android 15. As far as Android interfaces go, MagicOS sits somewhere between the speed and looseness of OnePlus’ OxygenOS and the stiffer, more structured feel of Samsung’s OneUI. It does the job.
As you might have guessed, the Honor Magic V5’s software shines brightest when it comes to foldable-specific features – the phone has a large suite of multitasking tools that allow for split screen and multi-windowed usage.
You can use a maximum of three apps at once in split screen mode (with one partially hidden off to one side), with another open in a floating overlay. To activate split screen mode you can either drag another app up from the taskbar or hold the bar that appears at the top of the screen. You can also open a single floating window when the phone is folded.
The situations that call for this level of multitasking are honestly pretty rare, but this is still an impressive amount of flexibility that helps the Honor Magic V5 feel like more than just a really big phone. Similarly to Apple’s Stage Manager tool for iPadOS, groups of windows stay together when you swipe up to see your opened apps, and I found it pretty easy to swap between split screen, multi-window, and full-screen modes with the on-screen buttons and contextual menus. However, some software isn't optimized for the folding display; I can give a pass to Honor on third party apps, but even pre-installed Google-made apps like YouTube sometimes gave me weird UI glitches. Luckily, this isn't too common.
MagicOS has a few more tricks up its sleeve. The phone can drive an external display at up to 1080p with the Magic Desktop feature, which is similar to Samsung’s DeX environment and allows for desktop-style usage with a keyboard and mouse. Back on the touchscreen, certain apps have a pull-down tab on the homescreen icon itself, which allows you to, say, quickly glance the time in another timezone or type down a quick note.
The phone is also loaded with AI tools from both Honor and Google (via Gemini, Circle to Search etc). These are found all over the OS, from generative note writing to AI image editing, and an uncanny feature that generates short videos from still images (first seen on the Honor 400 earlier this year). I personally found that Honor has been pretty heavy handed with implementing AI, to the point that it can be harder to find basic functions. For example, to crop an image in the photo gallery, you have to select “AI Edit”, which is now the catch-all term for photo editing.
As is typical for high-end folding phones, the Honor Magic V5 is fully loaded with top-end internal hardware, which translates to consistently great performance across multitasking and gaming. It’s got the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset and a full 16GB of RAM – that’s as good as it gets for Android phones, so you won’t come up against hardware constraints. The Magic V5 also comes with 512GB of storage, so no matter which configuration you choose you’ll have plenty of space for photos, videos, and apps.
I was able to make full use of the Magic V5’s software capabilities thanks to this array of high-end silicon. I never encountered any stuttering in the UI, and loading various apps was snappy and seamless, whether in full-screen or in MagicOS 9’s multitasking modes. There’s no lag when switching between apps or in games like Call of Duty Mobile – everything just runs, which is, in fairness, what you want from a phone that costs this much.
However, all that power in such a thin frame does mean the Magic V5 gets pretty warm. It never got uncomfortably hot, but it did seem to warm up very quickly compared to flagship slab phones. This is an these common to thin phone designs, as we’ve recently seen with the iPhone Air – the Magic V5 never got uncomfortably hot, but heat can have negative effects on battery life and potential performance over time, so it's something to keep an eye on.
With that said, I reviewed the Oppo Find N5 earlier this year – another ultra-thin folding phone with a Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset – and didn’t notice much in the way of heat.
By some miracle of physics, the Honor Magic V5 has a 5,820mAh battery. Let’s put that into perspective – the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 has a 4,400mAh battery, the OnePlus Open has a 4,805mAh battery, and the Honor Magic 7 – a flagship slab phone – has a 5,650mAh battery. Folding phones are typically consigned to smaller batteries due to their split construction, but the Honor Magic V5 sports cells that add up to a fractionally smaller total than a massive Pro-grade cameraphone. It’s really quite something.
This translates to excellent battery life. I’ve used a few folding phones that sport ‘all-day’ battery life, but the Honor Magic V5 gets through a full day of mixed use so effortlessly that I might not think about recharging until midway through the next day. The phone supports 66W fast wired charging with Honor’s proprietary charging kit, but as there’s no brick in the box I could only test it with third party chargers (I got up to 80% in just under an hour with a 40W brick). The handset also supports an impressive 50W power draw in wireless charging. That’s much higher than the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and many slab phones.
I will concede that the Honor Magic V5 seems to chew through battery a bit faster than slab phones, but the phone’s low-power mode is a real lifesaver when you’re caught away from an outlet. I felt fine leaving the house in the morning with around 50% charge, knowing that this would carry me through half a day or more of mixed use very comfortably. Of the folding phones I've used, this has the best battery life for sure.
Folding phones are known to be less efficient with their battery capacities than their slab phone contemporaries, as the cell is typically split between the two halves of the phone. That the Honor Magic V5 offers such impressive battery life is testament to Honor's engineering prowess.
Attribute
Notes
Rating
Value
The Magic V5 isn't cheap by any means, but offers more than the competition for less money.
4 / 5
Design
The thinnest and most comfortable folding phone on the market, and beautifully built too.
5 / 5
Displays
Two beautiful and remarkably consistent displays.
5 / 5
Cameras
Three great rear cameras that get close to flagship standard. Selfie cameras are terrible.
3 / 5
Performance
Never slows down, even in the throes of multitasking. Warms up quickly.
4 / 5
Software
MagicOS 9 is loaded with multitasking and AI tools. It can be a little complicated at times, but flexibility is always welcome.
4 / 5
Battery
A larger battery than most flagship slabs keeps things moving all day. No notes.
5 / 5
Buy it if...You want a powerful all-in-one device
The Honor Magic V5 has enough hardware power and software flexibility to get through most everyday tasks with ease. It's a great pick for light productivity/View Deal
You want a beautiful phone
The Honor Magic V5 is the thinnest folding phone on the global market and looks absolutely gorgeous. Everything in its construction looks and feels premium.View Deal
You want a cheaper folding phone
At £1,699.99, the Honor Magic V5 costs a lot. That said, it's cheaper than the competition from Samsung and Google, and is possibly even more capable. View Deal
Don't buy it if...You're on a budget
Despite the above, the Honor Magic V5 is still several hundred pounds more expensive than even the best slab phones. View Deal
You keep it simple
The Magic V5 has two screens, a suite of multitasking tools, an abundance of AI, and a total of five cameras. If you don't need loads of power, you might be better off saving some money on a simpler phone. View Deal
You want a familiar experience
The Honor Magic V5 runs MagicOS 9, which is a variant of Android, but those who value familiarity might prefer the simplicity of a Google Pixel or a phone in the well-known Samsung ecosystem. View Deal
Honor Magic V5: Also considerSamsung Galaxy Z Fold 7
I've spent most of this review recounting the ways the Honor Magic V5 beats the Galaxy Z Fold 7, but if you're after a more familiar software experience, class-leading cameras, or Samsung DeX, you'll only get it with the latter.
Read our Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 review View Deal
iPhone Air
If you just want a thin, light, and powerful phone but don't think you'll use the folding display that much, the iPhone Air is the new thin and powerful handset that's got the entire tech world talking about it.
Read our iPhone Air review View Deal
Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold
The Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold isn't the thinnest or most powerful folding phone, but it is the only one on the market that offers IP68 certification (that means it's dust sealed and submersion resistant). Our phones go everywhere with us, so durability is something to seriously consider.
Read our Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold review View Deal
How I tested the Honor Magic V5I used the Honor Magic V5 for an extended review period, culminating in a week-long stint as my daily driver. I used the Magic V5 to make calls, send messages, scroll through the internet and social media, play games, take pictures, and shoot video. I made sure to balance my use between the cover screen and folding display, and found that both screens could handle most tasks very well.
The Blueair Blue Signature is a furniture-inspired air purifier for extra-large rooms, available from Blueair, Amazon, and other third-party retailers.
You can purchase the Blueair Blue Signature for a list price of $449.99 / £369, but it’s worth keeping an eye out for discounts to maximize the value. I’ve not spotted any in the UK so far, but at the time of writing, US customers can get a $50 discount at Blueair, bringing the price down to an even more reasonable $399.99.
(Image credit: Future)While the mid-gray Light model is more to my preference, the navy blue Dark model I’ve been testing does a great job of blending into the room, rather than standing out like other white plastic air purifiers often do.
Like many of Blueair’s purifiers, the Blue Signature features an easy-to-clean fabric pre-filter, which is available in a range of colors to help it blend in with your decor.
At 15.5 inches / 39.4cm in diameter, there’s plenty of room to plonk down the remote or a magazine, but as I learned from my experience, you’ll need to be mindful about placing anything that could scratch the tabletop.
The Blue Signature is satisfyingly lightweight considering its size, making it easy to unbox and set up. I found it to be a little low for my liking, but this may well be down to personal preference.
(Image credit: Future)There are two bases that can be purchased separately, a chrome ring or some wooden legs, that’ll increase its height and enhance its furniture-style aesthetic. Their prices are a hard pill to swallow, however, at a cost of $99.99 / £99.99 and $79.99 / £79.99, respectively.
The motion-activated controls on the top of the Blue Signature are responsive and easy to use, and remote controlling the purifier is straightforward on the well-designed Blueair app.
The app contains a host of useful features, including controls, automations, settings, and color-coded air quality graphs for up to a month of PM1, PM2.5, and PM10 readings.
In addition to the four fan speeds, there are three modes available. These are Auto mode, which sets the Blue Signature to purify at speed one until contamination is detected, Eco mode, which operates the same as Auto, but the purifier remains idle, and Night mode, which lowers the purifier to its lowest speed and turns off most of the lights.
There’s a useful AirSense automation that provides a quick freshen up twice a day when the Blue Signature is in Auto or Eco mode, which runs regardless of the ambient air quality, though it can be turned off if desired.
(Image credit: Future)In terms of performance, I was very pleased with the Blue Signature’s efforts. It promptly detected and cleared the contamination caused as a result of my spraying dry shampoo from a couple of feet away, and displayed the readings in the graphs on the app.
It appears that the Blue Signature does a better job of tackling odors than other purifiers I’ve tested, as it made short work of removing the fragrance from the dry shampoo following my testing.
The Blue Signature operates satisfyingly quietly despite its power, maxing out at just 55dB at top speed, and giving readings as low as 27dB on speed one, which is quieter than a whisper.
As the brand makes some of the best air purifiers, it hasn’t come as a surprise that there’s so much to love about the Blueair Blue Signature. It has many useful features and performs well at a pleasingly low volume for the price, making it the perfect choice for larger spaces, without being conspicuous.
Blueair Blue Signature review: price & availabilityThe Blueair Blue Signature has a list price of $449.99 / £369, and is available to purchase directly from Blueair or at Amazon.
This is a pretty good price considering it’s designed for large rooms, supports WiFi connectivity, and can detect and react to PM1, PM2.5, and PM10, meaning it’ll jump into action whether ultra-fine or coarse particles are present.
What’s more, I’m already seeing some great deals appearing in the US, with Blueair offering a $50 off the price at the time of writing, so you can pick the Blue Signature up for just $399.99. I’m yet to spot a deal in the UK just yet, but you never know.
Blue Signature 4.0 replacement filters look a little pricey at $99.99 / £99.99 each, but Blueair states that these filters can last up to a year, and their RealTrack algorithm calculates the lifetime left on your filter based on the fan speed, usage time, and pollution levels, meaning it should offer a more accurate expiry date compared to other models.
It’s worth noting that while the all-singing-all-dancing 7-stage filter uses Blueair’s HEPASilent technology, it’s not a true HEPA filter, though Blueair has insisted that their filters are actually more effective and operate at lower volumes.
(Image credit: Future)I tested the Blueair Blue Signature without any accessories, but there’s the option of two different stand formats if you want to make it look more like a piece of furniture.
These don’t come cheap, however, with the wooden legs, referred to as the Leg Base in Wood, costing $79.99 / £79.99, and the Ring Base in Chrome costing an eye-watering $99.99 / £99.99. As nice an addition as these would make, I must admit that I consider these grossly overpriced, which is a shame, as they would greatly improve the aesthetic.
Accessories aside, considering the Blue Signature’s reliable performance, easy filter replacement, and simple controls, this Blueair purifier offers plenty of bang for your buck, even at the full list price, making it well worth your consideration.
Type
Air purifier table
Fan speeds
1-4
CADR (Clean air delivery rate)
Pollen 450 cfm
Dust 434 cfm
Smoke 455 cfm
Air changes per hour (ACH)
4.8
Filter
Multi-layered HEPASilent filter with activated carbon
Particle sizes detected
PM1, PM2.5, PM10
Dimensions
15.5 x 15.5 x 17.2 inches / 39.4 x 39.4 43.7cm
Weight
13.2lb / 6kg
Control
Touch controls / App
Timer
Yes
Additional modes
Auto, Night, Eco
Extra features
Tabletop, machine-washable pre-filters
Blueair Blue Signature review: design and featuresThe furniture-inspired design of the Blueair Blue Signature makes it pleasingly subtle for an extra-large room air purifier.
The Blue Signature comes in a choice of Light and Dark models, the former being a mid-gray color, and the latter being a navy blue, which is the model I’ve tested.
Both models come with a color-coordinated machine-washable pre-filter, a Nordic Fog with the Light, and a Midnight for the dark. At the time of writing, the Blue Signature Light model doesn’t appear to be available at Blueair in the UK, but it can be purchased from Amazon.
If you feel like mixing things up, there are four other pre-filter colors to choose from, which include a couple of neutral colors, a blue, and a green. Each pre-filter has a list price of $24.99 / £24.99, so it’s not too much of an outlay if you want to change up the color, or have a spare to put on while the other is in the wash.
(Image credit: Future)Although rather large, at 15.5 inches / 39.4cm in diameter, the Blue Signature is surprisingly easy to maneuver, as it weighs only 13.2lb / 6kg, and I could use the gap between the pre-filter and the top section to carry it about.
The Blue Signature’s 17.2 inches / 43.7cm height might prove a little low to use as a side table for some, but it’s not inconveniently short. The wooden legs would definitely prove beneficial here, but I think I’d rather prop it up on something than pay that price for the four-legged base.
The smooth matte plastic on the top of the air purifier makes it look like what it is, the top of an appliance, rather than an item of furniture. I would have liked to have seen a slightly more premium finish, but it offers plenty of surface area for placing mugs, books, and remote controls.
Speaking of controls, the touch controls on the top of the Blue Signature are pretty nifty, as the motion-activation means they disappear along with the display. They’re pleasingly simple to use, and include buttons for power, Auto mode, night mode, a display lock, and cycling through the four fan speeds. It’s quick and easy to change the settings on the app, too, so I could switch modes without needing to move out of my comfy spot on the sofa.
(Image credit: Future)There’s a steady blue light under the top surface of the air purifier when the air quality is rated as excellent. It changes color depending on the level of contamination, and is automatically dimmed when the Blue Signature is put into Night mode.
When Auto mode is enabled, the Blue Signature fan runs at speed one consistently, increasing the speed to suit whenever the Blue Signature detects PM1, PM2.5, or PM10 contamination.
I appreciate that the air purifier continues to purify at a low speed despite the air quality registering at a good level, as many air purifiers simply idle on Auto mode, so they fail to react and purify the surrounding air of contaminants they aren’t capable of detecting, such as VOCs.
Lastly, there’s an Eco mode, which works much the same as Auto mode, except it sits dormant until contamination is detected, thereby conserving energy.
Adding a new device can be a headache in some cases, but as the Blueair app detected the Blue Signature straight away, I simply needed to select it and follow the instructions to connect it to my WiFi, which it did with no issues.
The Blueair app is simple to navigate, and the settings are easy to access and adjust on the dashboard for the Blue Signature. For day-to-day control, there’s a simple slider to amend the fan speed, buttons to enable each of the three modes, and the display lock function.
(Image credit: Blueair / Future)There’s a useful feature linked to the Auto and Eco modes called AirSense, which means that my air purifier would stir into action for ten minutes at 10am and 6pm every day, though it can run for as long as twenty-five minutes if the air quality is a little lower.
This is particularly helpful if you plan to keep your air purifier set to Eco mode, as the air will still get a little freshen up twice a day. If you’d rather it didn’t embark on these mini cleaning sprees, it’s easy to turn off in the device settings.
There’s also a schedule feature, which can be used to set the air purifier to power on in a chosen mode at set times on your choice of days, before turning off at an allotted time.
(Image credit: Future)Another nifty automation is the Welcome Home feature, which powers on the Blue Signature when you’re approximately fifteen minutes away from home, based on your location and specified transport method.
A color-coded graph makes it easy to review the collected air quality data on the Blueair app. There’s a different graph for PM1, PM2.5, and PM10, with the option to view the readings over the course of a day, week, or month.
Overall, the app provides all the essentials in an easy-to-navigate interface, and all functions appeared responsive, bar the few moments it can take for the graph to update and reflect the real-time air quality readings.
Getting the Blueair Blue Signature setup was a quick and simple process, as it was just a case of plugging it in and setting it up on the Blueair app.
I didn’t feel quite as comfortable using the Blue Signature as a side table as I did with the SwitchBot Air Purifier Table, as it felt a bit wrong putting things down directly on top of an air purifier, and the material looks like it’d mark and scratch easily.
While the dark blue table top collected fingerprints easily, they wiped off without much effort. This was a relief, as some darker-colored matte surfaces can prove notoriously difficult to remove fingerprints from.
(Image credit: Future)Sadly, it got a bit scratched not long into my testing. Presumably, this was from me balancing the plug on it as I pulled it out of the box, though it was only the plastic part of the plug in contact with the surface, which is a concern considering it’s meant to be used as a tabletop.
These scratches were only really visible when caught in the light however, and likely more noticeable due to the dark coloring of the plastic. Either way, I’d definitely recommend enforcing the coaster rule in your house if you plan to use it as a table.
(Image credit: Future)All of the modes worked as expected. Night mode reduced the fan to its lowest speed and extinguished the indicator light, the display, and most of the touch controls, though curiously, the Night mode and power button remain illuminated.
In terms of purifying performance, I was pleased to find that the Blue Signature only took around sixteen seconds to detect the dry shampoo I’d sprayed around two feet away.
After detecting the contamination, the air quality rating was updated to “very polluted”, and so the Blue Signature ramped up the fan speed. The air quality returned to “good” levels around twenty seconds from detection, and was back to “excellent” after a further minute, at which point the fan speed was reduced back to its lowest setting.
(Image credit: Future)The Blue Signature appeared to clear odors better than other air purifiers I’ve tested. While the strong smell of the dry shampoo usually lingers long after the air purifier I’m testing has dealt with the particulate contamination, it was cleared fairly quickly by the Blue Signature.
This may well be down to the fact that the Blue Signature runs at its lowest fan speed in Auto mode, rather than simply idling, meaning it could prove a good option if reducing ambient odors is on your list of priorities.
I was impressed by the Blue Signature’s low volume too, finding that it operated quieter overall than the majority of the air purifiers I’ve tested to date. The loudest reading I recorded was 55dB when it was running at top speed, making it no louder than a conversation, and it operated at just 27dB on fan speed one, which is quieter than a whisper.
(Image credit: Future)While the tabletop may leave a little to be desired, all in all, the Blueair Blue Signature performed really well. Its capacity to purify an extra-large room's worth of air, in-app features, quick detection, and contamination tackling make this a great air purifier for the price, and, ignoring my personal preferences on its suitability as a table, it looks a whole lot more attractive than any large-scale air purifier I’ve come across to date.
Section
Notes
Score
Value for money
The Blue Signature offers great performance, an attractive design, and a pleasant user experience for the price. I just wish it wasn’t so expensive to buy the base accessories to complete the look.
4.5/5
Design & Features
This furniture-inspired air purifier manages to stand out from the crowd without disrupting the decor. It’s easy to use, pleasingly lightweight, and has a large surface area for placing items.
4.5/5
App
The Blueair app makes it super simple to operate the Blue Signature. Its interface is attractive and easy to understand, making it easy to access the features and air quality graphs.
4.5/5
Performance
The Blue Signature reacted quickly during testing and made quick work of clearing the contamination. It also did a better job of clearing the strong fragrance of the dry shampoo than other air purifiers I’ve tested.
4.5/5
Buy it if...You don’t want a typical-looking air purifier
With a choice of fabric colors and optional bases, this air purifier is your best bet if you’re looking for something that’ll look more like a piece of furniture than an appliance.
You want constant purification
Many air purifiers simply idle quietly in the background when the air quality is considered good based on what they can detect. It’s nice to have the option of constant purifying here, especially as it seems to aid in odor removal.
You appreciate nifty automations
The Blue Signature offers some useful automations, including scheduling, powering on when you’re 15 minutes from home, and twice-daily ramped up purifying with AirSense.
You want VOC detection
While the Blueair does a great job of detecting particulates, it doesn't register the presence of VOCs (volatile organic compounds), like some more premium options do. However, the good news is that the filter is still capable of filtering them, which is another reason why the consistent purifying in Auto mode is beneficial.
You don’t like lingering lights
Although not glaringly bright, it’s a shame the power and Night mode icons aren’t extinguished when said mode is triggered. This may only be a minor niggle for some, but it’s worth bearing in mind if you can’t stand any light at bedtime.
You don’t want to pay a premium for a pretty base
The Blue Signature looks good as-is, but the furniture aesthetic would be nicely enhanced when teamed with one of the bases on offer. I just wish that these extras weren’t so eye-wateringly expensive.
Blueair Blue Signature
SwitchBot Air Purifier Table
Dyson Purifier Cool Formaldehyde TP09
Type
Air purifier table
Air purifier table
Purifying tower fan
Price
$449.99 / £369
$269.99 / £299.99
$749.99 / £549.99
Fan speeds
4
3
10
Modes
Auto, Eco, Night
Auto, Sleep, Pet
Auto, Night mode, Diffused mode
Filter
Pre-filter, 7-stage HEPASilent with activated carbon
Pre-filter, HEPA and activated carbon
HEPA H13 and activated carbon
App support
Yes
Yes
Yes
Dimensions
15.5 x 15.5 x 17.2 inches / 39.4 x 39.4 43.7cm
11.4 x 11.4 x 16.5 inches / 29 x 29 x 42cm
8.7 x 8.7 x 41.3 inches / 22 x 22 x 105cm
Weight
13.2lb / 6kg
10.7lb / 4.9kg
10.4 lbs / 4.7kg
SwitchBot Air Purifier Table
If you love the idea of a multi-functional air purifier but haven’t got the budget spare for the Blue Signature, then this SwitchBot alternative might be for you. Its wood-effect tabletop offers plenty of space for a mug and remote, and comes with the bonus of an integrated wireless phone charger. It only detects and reacts to PM2.5 or smaller, but it operates just as quietly as the Blueair, and makes for a great lower-cost alternative. If you’d like to learn more, have a read of my full SwitchBot Air Purifier Table review.
Dyson Purifier Cool Formaldehyde TP09
This Dyson air purifier requires a lot more investment, but it’s a fantastic choice if you want to get a clearer view of your air quality data. I love the attractive gold and white coloring, and can’t help but be impressed by its ability to detect and react to more than the standard PM contaminants, namely, VOCs, formaldehyde, and nitrogen dioxide. And, while it can’t be used as a table, it does operate as a bladeless fan. To find out more about this 4.5-star rated purifier, check out my full Dyson Purifier Cool Formaldehyde TP09 review.
After assembling the Blueair Blue Signature and syncing it to the Blueair app, I tried out the onboard touch controls and app-based controls before having a good explore of the different settings and features.
Along with using the Blueair Blue Signature passively in my home, I also conducted our standard testing procedure of spraying dry shampoo from around two feet away to assess its performance. I then assessed the air quality readings on the app to ensure they were aligned.
I measured the sound levels emitted from different fan speeds and modes, and compared these readings to the measurements I’ve taken from other air purifiers.
France's Interior Minister, Laurent Nuñez, called the heist "a major, highly organized operation" that lasted just seven minutes. Authorities were still drawing up the value of the stolen items.
(Image credit: Alexander Turnbull)